


A Friend in the Night

by smolbunprincess



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Nightmares, Self-Harm, akira doesnt have a good relationship with his parents, he misses them but they dont miss him, i wanted to explore morgana's relationship with protag, lots of comfort, mayb in the future i'll add a part two
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-05
Updated: 2021-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-18 21:13:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,090
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29864136
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smolbunprincess/pseuds/smolbunprincess
Summary: Morgana helps Akira on a bad night.
Relationships: Kurusu Akira & Morgana
Comments: 2
Kudos: 38





	A Friend in the Night

**Author's Note:**

> I always wanted to explore Morgana and Akira's relationship, especially being a cat owner myself. I know how therapeutic they can be, and with Akira I imagine his mental health isn't all that great. Especially after his solidary confinement, something I may explore at a different stage. I did do a lil research on the effect of solidary confinement, but that was a few years ago. Regardless, I can say for certain that Akira is not okay. As to what part of the game this takes place in, I cannot say but it is def far before Sae's palace.
> 
> Also I like the idea of Morgana being especially intune with Akira. He knows him, he's his voice. Maybe he comes a service animal in the future, they joke so its so they can finally bring him into more restaurants but its really for Akira's benefit.

The human emotion was so much more complex than most could ever hope to understand. The masks people hide behind to protect themselves was a way of life, without it there are only walls. But walls can be scaled, with a mask that protection is amplified. A Phantom Thief of Heart had to take off their mask, ripping that security away to embrace what they're led to be ashamed of. That is not to say a Phantom Thief is without secrets still veiled, everything is always complex. Especially in the metaverse.

 _Especially_ when it came to their leader.

But for that, Morgana has much more insight than he let on. For Akira's sake.

He knew that he was needed the moment his eyes opened. An intuition he was thankful for.

The room was dark, save for the moonlight pooling in from the window and the artificial light of a phone.

He stretched and yawned, his back arched to expel any drowsiness that clung to his bones. With that out of the way, he made his move. He padded to the source of the light, resting his head on Akira's phone to read the screen. The other didn't flinch. After all, they had done this waltz before.

"Akira.." He began, his ears flat on his head. His fur sticks out like the feline version of bedhead, though he doesn't have the time to ensure he is more presentable. "Akira you need to rest."

But the Fool doesn't respond, his gaze fixated as he waited. Waited for a reply that would never come. He was holding his hand out for two individuals to take, yet the door was shut in his face and he was left in the street.

So Morgana takes the first move. He jumped over Akira's body, and landed right in position. With little difficulty, he's able to push the phone out of his hand.

There's a brief period of silence, save for the quiet hum of the outside world. Akira cracked first.

"I didn't mean to wake you."

To anyone else in any other situation, they'd be reprimanded aggressively. But not now, not with Akira.

"You need to stop doing that." Morgana nuzzled Akira's fingers, though the digits remain hanging in the empty air. "You're only hurting yourself." He doesn't want to acknowledge aloud that if they haven't responded now, it was unlikely they ever would. A fact that would make his fur bristle, for Akira was much more than he was given credit for.

It was a sad truth, a depressing reality they've seen countless times. That didn't mean it didn't hurt still, especially one of their own.

One of their first nights together, Morgana had awoken to faintest snivel. He thought little of it at the time, though as the days progressed and their relationship grew, he became more concerned on Akira's wellbeing.

Walls were scalable, but their leader had somehow fortified it so well that they knew about him all the while not knowing too.

Akira was their leader, he was dependable, kind, quiet, smart, and loyal. He was a pain in the backside, but in the best way possible most days.

But he was also depressed, self destructive, afraid, and neglected. He was deceitful in the way he made you think he was okay but he wasn't. He never was.

It was no wonder that he was a Trickster. He was good at fooling everyone, even himself.

But darkness and loneliness makes one vulnerable to the storm they carry, and Morgana is glad he found an umbrella.

"Stop that." His paw shot out as he reprimanded Akira gently, forcing him to stop biting his hand. Thin red lines, revealed he had been doing this earlier. Fading red lines said he'd been doing this awhile.

Akira was always good at covering it up. No-one knew how badly he was hurting from the inside, Morgana may not have known if he didn't live with him. But he has seen his injuries, self inflicted and caused by deliberate reckless moves. It scared Morgana how Akira seemed almost fine with getting hurt by Shadows, in fact it was like he preferred it to his teammates being hurt. His disregard for his own importance worried Morgana considerably, so he always stayed close to observe and ensure Akira was as safe as possible. Of course he's careful not to encroach on Ryuji's status as the right hand man, so he worked as a silent observer. He would bring it up only if he worried for Akira's life and was certain he couldn't stop it.

Though he is certain that the Phantom Thieves will always be there to protect their leader. The trouble was getting Akira to accept it and let them in.

Morgana lowered his head to touch his nose against his forehead, followed with a quiet exhale.

"Do you wanna talk?" Morgana inquired, though he is sure that he knew the answer already. He doesn't speak for a moment, his gaze clouded and wet. It was reflective of an inner turmoil, one he could only hope to lessen.

"Stay.." He croaked finally, his tone raw with an emotion that can't escape. It's a denial in his own way, Akira never spoke of his emotions. Never acknowledged them, as if avoiding them would protect him in the long run. 

But it was only causing him more pain, especially as destructive desires took over and he looked at things that made him worse deliberately. Yet the simple statement was also something at the same time, the teeniest tiniest reveal of progress. Voicing a want, something he _needed_ to feel better. It was small, but it was something.

The black feline settled by Akira's chest, the other's arms laid over him. Though he desired not to be shut out, Morgana knew this would take time.

He could only hope that Akira would feel safe enough to be vulnerable around them. Safe enough to know that he wouldn't be abandoned, that he wouldn't become background noise in their lives. He gave voices to the many, but had yet to find his.

A tragedy in flesh.

"I'm not going anywhere." The Magician promised, cuddled up to the boy he considered his best friend. His nose would brush against his chin gently, his purring filled the silence comfortably. "I'm not leaving you, we're a team. I'll find you if we ever get separated." He added tenderly as Akira began to drift to sleep.

It is a promise that he'll keep, until the day he dies.


End file.
